Protective helmet



Jan. 23, 1968 5, KWOKA 3,364,499

PROTECTIVE] HELMET Filed Oct. 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 23, 1968 c. s. KWOKA PROTECTIVE HELMET 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 22, 1965 Jan. 23, 1968 c. s. KWOKA PROTECTIVE HELMET 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 Jan. 23, 1968 c, S, KWOKA 3,364,499

PROTECTI VE HELMET Filed Oct. 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,364,499 PROTECTIVE HELMET Chester S. Kwoka, 135 N. George St., Millersville, Pa. 17551 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,052 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a protective helmet for athletes and the like in which triple layers of resilient material such as foam rubber line the interior of the helmet and cover the lower rim of the helmet. The individual layers are spaced from one another to permit extension of one layer with respect to the others. Small perforations extend through a portion of the thickness of the resilient layers to aid in the cushioning effect.

This invention relates to a helmet and more particularly to a protective head gear for use by participants of sports events such as football, etc.

In the design of helmets, it has been customary to form the exterior surface from a relatively rigid material such as metal, reinforced plastic, or leather. The interior of the helmet is provided with a suspension system which engages the head of the wearer. This suspension system comprises a number of pads to rest on the head of the wearer and hold the helmet in place. The bottom rim of the outer shell of the helmet is positioned below this suspension system within the helmet. One of the chief sources of serious injury during football games is the crushing effect this bottom edge of the helmet has on the base of the skull, as the helmet is tilted back on the head of the wearer. The pressure pads in the conventional helmets do not adequately protect the head of the wearer because they are so arranged that the hard surface of the helmet can come into direct contact with the head of the wearer causing a fracture or crushing type of injury to the neck vertebrae. The greatest protection the helmet can give results from contact of the portion of the head in the helmet with the padding in the helmet and from preventing the edge of the helmet biting or digging into the neck when the head is in hyperextension.

The helmet of this invention is designed in such manner that the interior padding forms three independent suspension systems, the innermost one of which snugly fits the head of the wearer. These three suspension systems funtion independently and in cooperation with one another to cushion a blow received on the helmet. The suspension systems are adhesively secured to the helmet and to each other at the edges of the helmet shell and extend below the edge of the shell in front and back to protect the wearer against the edge of the helmet.

The helmet hereunder consideration is designed and built to render protection to the wearer not only from external bruises but also from injuries which might result to the structures of the skull, such as the brain, brain covering and the blood vessels. It also protects the equilibrium mechanism which in turn reduces the injuries occurring to other parts of the body as a result of falling.

An object of this invention is to provide a helmet in which the dynamic mobile forces are gradually decelerated so as to prevent skull injury or brain damage. This is achieved through a multiple shock absorption mechanism which is attained by this new arrangement of a multiple suspension system which is movable within the helmet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a helmet which will not damage the neck of the wearer if the helmet is pushed back on the head of the wearer.

Another object is to provide a helmet which is lighter,

3,364,499 Patented Jan. 23, l 968 to decrease the number of whiplash injuries and be more pliable to prevent helmet cracking and the transference of contact energies through the solid helmet shell.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of the helmet showing the arrangement of the suspension systems and air spaces therebetween;

FIGURE 2. is a side view of the helmet showing the construction, arrangement, and mode of attachment of the suspension systems to the shell;

FIGURE 3 is a direct view of the inside of the helmet showing the first suspension system; and

FIGURE 4 is a view of the side protective padding.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown a helmet 2 having openings 3 therein and three independent suspension systems 4, 5, and 6. These systems 4, 5 and 6 are made of synthetic foam material such as vinyl chloride or the like. The outermost layer 6 is secured to the inner surface of the helmet in the top portion only. The layer 6 is stretched across the helmet so that it is actually not in engagement with the top of the helmet but instead provides an air space between the padding and the helmet. The layer 6 is secured by adhesive to the helmet. This layer 6 is perforated through a portion of its thickness by the holes 7 (FIG. 1). These holes aid in compressability by acting as small pneumatic cushions because of the intrapped air when a compressive force is applied forcing the layer 6, compressing it. The next layer of material designated by the numeral 5 is a layer of synthetic foam in the form of a cross which, when placed in the helmet to conform to the curvature of the helmet, covers a substantial area of the interior of the helmet, extending down below the edge in front and back in the areas 8 and 9. This layer 5 is perforated in the same manner as the layer 6. An air space is provided between the layers 5 and 6 to permit the layer 5 to take up a substantial portion of the shock before it engages the layer 6. The third layer of padding comprises the member 4 which extends from one ear flap 10 through the crown of the helmet and down to the other ear flap 10. This layer 4 also extends around the lower edge of the helmet increasing the amount of padding in. this area. This layer 4 is also secured in place by adhering it to the layer 5 around the lower rim. A third layer of fabric 11 surrounds the helmet edge completely covering it in the front and back. The two pieces 4 and 5 are provided with an air space therebe tween. Perforations are provided in the layer 4 for the same reasons as explained earlier in connection with layers 5 and 6.

Additional side pieces 12 are provided on each side of the helmet to protect the wearer from a sharp blow to the side of the head. These pieces are perforated to provide the added cushioning explained earlier.

In addition to the ventilating feature, the openings 3 in the helmet 2 also aid in rendering the helmet lighter. They also aid in making the helmet more split resistant because a brake may occur between two of the holes, but in most instances it will not go beyond the closest opening.

Any of the well known foam materials are suitable for carrying out my invention such as foamed polyvinyl chloride, foam rubber, etc.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have developed a helmet which will protect the head of the wearer from actual contact with the hard surface of the helmet by means of padding which can be adjusted to conform to the size and shape of the head of the wearer and will engage a substantial portion of the head of the wearer in the helmet. I have also provided a helmet which is designed to protect the nape of the neck when the helmet is rocked back on the head of the wearer to insure against serious injury at the base of the skull. This is accomplished by the padding which extends to the bottom edge of the helmet.

The combination of the resilience of the foam material itself, the holes through the foam material, and the resistance to stretch brought about by the air spaces between the first layer and the shell and between the other layers are all features which cooperate to render the helmet more shock resistant to the wearer by providing three separate suspension systems which cooperate with one another to cushion a shock. The side pads also contribute greatly to protect against shock from a side blow.

I claim:

1. In a protective helmet, a hard stiff shell having a top portion and a downwardly extending portion terminating in a rim, a layer of resilient material positioned coextensive with the interior of the top portion of said shell, said resilient material being stretched across the interior of said shell so as to be spaced from the inner surface thereof, means attaching said layer to said shell, a second layer of resilient material spaced from said first layer and covering a greater area of the inside of said shell than said first layer, means attaching said second layer to the inner surface of the rim of said shell in such manner that the resilient layer extends below said rim, a third layer of resilient material coextensive with said second layer and spaced therefrom, and means attaching said third layer to said second layer.

2. A helmet in accordance with claim 1 having a resilient pad attached to the side of the helmet to cushion the wearer against side forces.

3. A helmet in accordance with claim 1 in which at least one layer of resilient material is provided with perforations extending through a portion of the thickness of the resilient layer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,634,415 4/1953 Turner et a]. 2-3 2,805,419 9/1957 Finken 2-3 3,292,180 12/1966 Marietta 23 I ORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

